Category: Personal Style

As I entered my 50s and as the economy began to tank (perfect timing!), I became aware of one scary new reality: my days in the paid workforce were probably numbered. All around me, people my age were being forced out of their jobs, which were being turned into poorly-paying part-time gigs or outsourced to lower-wage countries. And, thanks to age discrimination, many of these same people, even the best-educated ones, had a hard time finding a new job, especially one that paid as well as their old one. All too often, these discouraged workers found themselves giving up their quest for employment and retiring early.

And when these middle-aged people—too young to draw a pension—become unemployed long-term and their benefits run out, they lose access to a steady income. That means, of course, that their ability to spend money is limited, and they need to “make do” with that they already have.

Sure enough, my own job gradually become more precarious, thanks to a company reorganization and, a few years later, the sale of the division I worked for. Faced with this difficult new reality, I began planning for the day when I, too, would need to “make do”. In other words, I limited my clothing purchases to items that I could wear not only right away, but long into my retirement years. I began to hoard clothing!

Now that I’m retired, I’m glad I made the choice to become a hoarder. There’s very little that I need to buy—basically, only replacement pieces—and my wardrobe will look good and serve me well for years to come. Most importantly, I don’t have the stress of needing to buy new clothing on a limited budget.

If you’re over 50 and would like to try my rather unorthodox strategy, here are some suggestions:

Choose one theme for your wardrobe. This could be either an established style (romantic, classic, sporty, etc.) or an original style devised by you. In my case, I have combined tailored 1940’s to 1960’s pieces (and recreations of them) with preppy modern classics to create my own “preppy vintage” style.

Choose a style that never or rarely dates; that way, you’ll never again need to replace an entire wardrobe.

Look for versatile clothing that can be combined with a lot of other pieces and worn almost anywhere, such as a simple dress in a good wool, a fitted shirt in a cotton sateen, a cashmere twinset in a brilliant colour. But also look for interesting “statement pieces”, such as a pencil skirt in leather or a silk blouse in a rich print.

Stick with one silhouette (e.g., fitted all over, fitted and flared, etc.) and choose one or two styles for each type of clothing within that silhouette. For example, fitted hip-length jackets, collared shirts and pullovers, slim pants.

Stick with classic pieces unless the trendy item you’ve fallen in love with fits into your style and can become a long-term (5-10 year) part of your wardrobe. In my case, I purchased a couple of trendy items—a jumpsuit and culottes—in the knowledge that they would fit perfectly into my retro-themed wardrobe.

Narrow your palette to three to six fashion colors (plus neutrals) per season.

Narrow your shopping to a few brands that offer similar clothing.

Choose clothing in natural fabrics, such as wool, cotton, silk, and linen. Clothing in synthetic fabrics wears out quickly and is uncomfortable to wear.

Only buy quality clothing, even if you have to buy some or all of it on sale.

But don’t bother with clothing sales unless you know exactly what you want before the sale begins. Too often, women end up buying marked-down clothing that they never wear only because of the reduced price. If possible, try on the clothing in the store before it goes on sale just to make sure that you really want it. Then keep your eye peeled for sales (either by checking the store’s website or by getting on its mailing list) and grab the item once it’s marked down.

Buy less clothing and try to make every purchase count.

Obey the 5-10 year rule: never buy a piece of clothing at any price unless you can see yourself wearing it for 5-10 years.

Once you’ve established your wardrobe, only purchase replacement pieces.

Make sure all of your clothing fits perfectly; if it doesn’t, take it to a tailor.

Do you have any ideas for building a “retirement wardrobe”? Feel free to post your comments.

One of my oddball passions is collecting and wearing antique clothing from the 1940s and 1950s. A long-time classic movie fan, I’m drawn by the ultra-feminine styles, fine fabrics, and precise tailoring of the clothing worn by the Hollywood stars of that era. When I started purchasing vintage clothing in 2003, I tried to mimic that look, combining a fitted, nipped-in waist suit jacket with a full skirt appliqued with shiny beads.

Of course, I ended up looking ridiculous. My outfits were more costumes than ensembles. But I still loved vintage clothing and didn’t want to give up on it. After fourteen years of trial and error, I’ve finally learned how to really integrate vintage pieces into a modern wardrobe:

Choose a specific era, the one that suits you the best.

Limit yourself to only one vintage item per outfit. I usually base outfits around my signature piece: a 1940s or 1950s fitted wool, hip-length jacket with a nipped-in waist and pretty dressmaker details, such as fabric-covered buttons and satin-trimmed lapels.

Mix modern and vintage clothing and stick to one silhouette. I stick to a fitted silhouette, mixing fitted antique jackets with slim fitting, tailored, simple modern sportswear, such as collared button-down shirts, trim ankle pants, and pencil skirts.

Don’t be afraid to refashion vintage clothing to make it more modern and flattering. I hired a tailor to recut and shorten a mid-calf, A-line, gray wool skirt from the 1940s (half of a suit) into a slim, knee-length pencil skirt.

Search for modern pieces that look vintage, such as a full-skirted dress or a jacket with a peplum. Alternatively, you can buy vintage patterns online and pay a dressmaker or tailor to make them up for you in new fabrics. Both of these choices can result in pieces that mix well with real vintage items but look fresher and more modern.

With a bit of thought and experimentation, vintage clothing can fit easily into a modern wardrobe and open up a range of exciting style choices in a retail environment increasingly dominated by bland and cheaply-produced clothing.

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A lover of words who writes from the heart.
Welcome to my site! I’m a refugee from the corporate world, a lover of books, dogs, and 1940’s/1950’s vintage clothing (not necessarily in that order!), a wife and a mom . . . and, oh yeah, a novelist!
My page is a forum to share helpful ideas with other fledgling novelists. It's also a bit of a dumping ground for posts on my personal interests (like vintage clothing) that have nothing to do with writing! Finally, this is a place for YOUR ideas. Feel free to post your ideas and comments.
My first novel, a lighthearted romance set in the world of stand-up comedy, was published by Moonshine Cove in April 2018.

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